Passive Fireproofing Materials and their Application

Index
PASSIVE FIREPROOFING MATERIALS - INTRODUCTION STRUCTURAL FIRE PROTECTION Fire Protection Standards Critical temperature Governing authority Structural details PASSIVE FIREPROOFING MATERIALS Cementitious products Intumescent materials Fibrous materials Composite materials APPLICATION OF SELECTED PASSIVE FIREPROOFING MATERIALS Scope of work Ambient conditions Material control and storage Masking Surface preparation Mesh reinforcement Fireproofing application Quality Control

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PASSIVE FIREPROOFING MATERIALS - INTRODUCTION

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Passive fireproofing means insulating systems designed to deter heat transfer from a fire to the structure being protected. These are generally coatings such as mineral-based or organic resin-based products but also include insulating panels or blankets. In most cases passive fire protection materials are used in conjunction with "active" systems such as water sprays, sprinklers and deluge, foam generation and inert gas suppression. The need for passive fireproofing arises from at least one of the following: Fire risk assessment carried out by both public and private bodies. Enforcement of fire safety codes resulting from risk assessment. The absence of active systems or unavoidable delays in their activation. Requirements for personnel protection (safe areas, evacuation etc.). Protection of assets.

The human and economic costs of fire damage can be significantly reduced if not eliminated by the use of a suitable passive protection system.

STRUCTURAL FIRE PROTECTION When exposed to fire all commonly used structural materials lose some of their strength. Concrete cracks and spalls, timber depletes by charring and steel quickly loses its load bearing capacity. Such structural members can be protected to some extent by the application of specialist fireproofing products. Most fireproofing work is performed on structural steel, in both industry and commercial applications. Many systems are also suitable for the protection of other construction materials such as reinforced concrete (which is of particular interest for the protection of tunnel linings). It is important not to confuse these specialist fireproofing materials with other materials such as refractory products, which can withstand high temperatures but have poor insulating properties, or thermal insulation that is not designed to resist fire temperatures. The key parameters to be considered for structural protection include: Fire Protection Standards Required levels of protection are normally specified in terms of time and temperature on the basis of one or more criteria, which may include statutory requirements, design considerations and insurance cost implications. It can vary from a few minutes to several hours but is usually in the form of 15-minute increments. The duration is established by a time rating, in hours or minutes, which is determined by testing in accordance with an approved standard. Some of the more commonly specified test standards are listed below:

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STANDARD ASTM E-119 (equivalent UL 263) BS 476 Part 8 (1972) & Parts 20-22 (1987) ISO 834 (standard time/temp. curve) DIN 4102 BS 476 (Appendix D) ISO 834 (hydrocarbon time/temp. curve) UL 1709 COUNTRY U.S.A. U.K. INTERNATIONAL GERMANY U.K. INTERNATIONAL U.S.A.

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DESCRIPTION Cellulosic or wood fire; used since 1903; ratings for , 1, 1 , 2, 3 and 4 hours Cellulosic or wood fire (similar to ASTM E-119) Cellulosic or wood fire (similar to ASTM E-119) Cellulosic or wood fire (similar to ASTM E-119) Hydrocarbon fire; developed in the early 1970s Hydrocarbon fire; developed in the early 1970s Hydrocarbon fire; developed in the early 1970s

Fully stressed carbon steel loses its design margin of safety at temperatures of around 550 C, and most fire standards have taken 538 C (1000 F) as the critical temperature level. Hours of protection are therefore defined as the number of hours of exposure to fire while maintaining steel temperatures below 538 C (1000 F). Earlier fire standards based on tests that simulate a cellulosic or wood fire are now considered inadequate for hydrocarbon fire scenarios. The cellulosic (or A class in the marine and offshore industries) fire test curve is characterized by a relatively slow temperature rise to around 927 C (1700 F) after 60 minutes (fig. 1). In hydrocarbon fires the temperature rises rapidly to 900 C (1652 F) within 4 minutes and significantly higher overall temperatures are reached (between 1100 C and 1200 C [between 2012 F and 2192 F]). The hydrocarbon (or H class in the marine and offshore industries) fire test curve (fig. 1), as developed by the Mobil Oil Company in the early 1970s and adopted by a number of organizations and in particular Underwriters Laboratories (UL 1709 Rapid Temperature Rise), UK Dept. of Energy, BSI, ISO and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate is now a common reference in high risk environments such as petrochemical complexes and offshore platforms, with a typical rating of 2 hours (equivalent to 3 hours per ASTM E-119). More recently, attention has been focused on jet fire scenarios in which leaking high pressure hydrocarbon gases ignite to produce intense, erosive jet flames that can reach speeds of 335 mph (150 metres per second). A standard jet fire test, denominated OTI 95 634, has been developed jointly by the UK Health and Safety Executive and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate for use predominantly on offshore installations.

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Fig. 1 (1 = hydrocarbon curve. 2 = BS 476.

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3 = ISO 834 Standard time/temp.curve.)

Comparison of Typical 'Cellulosic' and 'Hydrocarbon' Time/Temperature Curves

1200 1 2 3

1000

800 Temp C

600

400

200

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 Time (mins)

Very few statutory regulations exist governing the fire protection requirements within the high-risk petrochemical and chemical process industries. In most cases, the responsibility for risk assessment and provision of adequate fire protection rests with the Owner and Operator and their Insurer. Some improvements have been made recently, such as in Italy where the prevention and protection f rom fire of pressurized LPG storage tanks (of over 5000 kg capacity) is regulated by specific legislation. Critical temperature Critical Temperature is normally specified but will always be based on one of the following: Collapse - the temperature at which a structural member loses its load bearing capacity. If the member is part of the main structure, it follows that the load also needs to be considered when determining the protection requirements. Steel loses about 75% of its strength at 600 C so for heavily loaded structural components, 400 C has been unofficially adopted as a standard. Insulation (for offshore and marine industries) although a rating (e.g. A-60 or H-90) may be specified by a designer or imposed by a statutory requirement, the insulation criteria is always the same. The back-face temperature shall not exceed an average temperature rise of 139 C within the designated time period nor at any one point exceed a temperature rise of 180 C. Hazardous process requirements typically used for the storage of highly combustible materials, the critical temperature depends on the vessel wall thickness, construction details and content.

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Governing authority Authorities governing fire regulations may be an independent certifying authority, such as Lloyds, DNV (Det Norske Veritas) or Bureau Veritas, or a government body, such as the Health and Safety Executive in the UK or the Ministero dellInterno in Italy. Regulations are also produced by maritime bodies, professional associations and private organizations (especially oil companies). In the civil construction field the requirement for fire protection is manifested in building codes and regulations. These are usually governmental statutory documents, and are often sponsored by insurance associations, the fire services, scientific institutes and industrial associations. Structural details The nature of the structural member(s) to be protected influences the type and quantity of fireproofing to be applied. Important factors to consider include: Construction material different materials have different critical temperatures (e.g. steel, aluminium, concrete, etc.) Configuration of the components universal beams and columns, hollow sections, channels, etc. Exposure whether the mem ber would be exposed to fire on three or four sides. Section factor (Hp/A) this is an extremely valuable concept that has enabled a still limited amount of fire test data to be used for the definition of protection requirements of a very wide range of steelwork. Any steel member with a large perimeter (Hp) will receive more heat than one with a smaller perimeter. Furthermore, the greater the cross sectional area (A) of the member, the more heat it can absorb (known as the heat sink effect). In other words, a large, thin member will heat up much more quickly than a small, thick one. Hp/A is therefore a useful indicator of the rate at which a section will heat up in a fire and the higher its value, the more protection will be required. Most suppliers of passive fireproofing can provide tables giving the thickness of material required to provide a fire protection rating in a hydrocarbon fire for various Hp/A values. Location Some materials may be unsuitable for specific situations. For example, thick film Intumescent coatings produce potentially harmful gases when they react in a fire and are therefore not generally used for enclosed accommodation or work areas. Service conditions Consideration must be given to the whole range of agents and forces that the protection will be required to resist during its service life (collectively referred to as pre-fire durability). These include weather conditions (in particular rain, humidity and ultraviolet rays), corrosive environment (soluble salts, sulfides, nitrates etc.) and physical-mechanical service conditions (service temperature, vibration and flexure, impact and abrasion etc.). Another potential consideration is the weight loading (per unit area) of the fireproofing itself, which is of particular importance in the offshore industry.

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PASSIVE FIREPROOFING MATERIALS

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A wide range of fireproofing materials is available, from inorganic mineral based products to thermally reactive organic formulations. The main classes of material used are: Cementitious products Intumescent materials Fibrous materials Composites

Cementitious products These include concrete, gunite, lightweight vermiculite based mixes, gypsum, calcium silicate and magnesium oxychloride. All cementitious fireproofing materials u f nction as heat absorbers by the evaporation of water bound into the coating matrix. The heat of a fire has to drive out water at the surface of the coating before it can penetrate the coating interior and reach the protected substrate. As the water is heated to boiling point it forms steam, which both repels the fire and absorbs heat. The temperature behind the surface being dehydrated cannot greatly exceed 100 C [212 F]. Cementitious materials are usually white or pale in colour. This reflects the heat of the fire thus improving the efficiency of protection. Cementitious materials are essentially inorganic and therefore will not burn. No additional smoke or toxic fumes are produced in a fire which makes them suitable for internal use in living quarters and work areas. Concrete is the oldest form of passive fire protection for structural steel. Concrete used for the purpose of fire protection may be specified to meet the following requirements: Type 1 Portland cement conforming to ASTM C 150. Commercial high silica sand with clean, sharp and hard particles conforming to ASTM C 33.

Sharp and angular aggregate ranging in size from 6 mm to 13 mm (0.25 to 0.5 inches) and conforming to ASTM C 33. Clean water free from oils, acids, salts, alkalis or other substances that could damage the concrete. Minimum compressive strength after 28 days of 210 kg/cm (3000 psi).
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50 mm (2 inch) thickness of concrete prepared to the above specification will provide a 2 -hour rating to BS476 Part 8 or ASTM E-119. The steel is usually boxed or shuttered and the concrete poured in place. Most specifications require the installation of a reinforcement mesh supported by welded studs in the middle section of the coating.

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Advantages of concrete are that it is Hard and durable Relatively cheap as a material Easy to install and repair.

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Disadvantages are that: It is heavy Installation costs are high especially on smaller beams It is liable to spall in a hydrocarbon fire There is the risk of hidden corrosion caused by water ingress via the small gap left against the steel when it sets. It is very important to properly seal all terminations to prevent this happening.

Gunite, a mixture of cement, sand and proprietary materials, is an alternative to concrete that can be spray applied thus making the installation more cost effective. It is also lighter than poured in place concrete. Steel reinforcement is required and it presents the same risks of hidden corrosion as concrete. Lightweight cementitious fireproofing materials vary, with nominal density values of 500-550 kg/m for offshore 3 use and 700-900 kg/m for onshore applications. The weight contribution for onshore applications is therefore 2 about 0.8 kg/mm/m . Due to their lower density and high porosity they do not spall in a hydrocarbon fire. Typically, a 2-hour fire rating to ASTM E-119 can be achieved with 25 mm (1 inch) thickness. They are produced as factory controlled cement (usually Type 1 Portand) and vermiculite premixes which are combined with potable water before being spray applied to a suitably prepared steel surface. Reinforcement mesh (galvanized and/or plastic-coated steel) is installed in the middle third of the coating. The system is completed with a semi-permeable topcoat that protects a gainst ingress from rainfall, cleaning water, chemical spills and sprinkler deluge systems. The topcoat must have a high water vapor permeability to allow moisture to escape from the substrate (fireproofing material) without causing blistering of the final coating. A penetrating water repellent primer is sometimes applied prior to topcoating. As with concrete, proper sealing of all terminations (typically polysulfide or silicone rubber mastics) is necessary to prevent water infiltrating the micro-fissures between the fireproofing material and steel substrate. As well as possessing excellent fire resistance characteristics, these products are also relatively cheap and high quality finishes can be obtained by skilled applicators. Being stable, non-reactive mineral compounds they do not present a health hazard during application, service life or in a fire. Possible disadvantages stem from this type potentially damaging substances (e.g. acids) create the conditions for substrate corrosion. anticorrosive treatment prior to fireproofing and of materials high porosity, which may lead to the absorption of that can weaken the vermiculite-cements physical resistance and These difficulties are overcome however by the use of a suitable the application of specialist topcoats as described above.
3 3

Magnesium oxychloride - chemical formula 3Mg(OH)2 MgCl 2 8H2O - has a nominal density of 1000 kg/m and is therefore classed as a lightweight cementitious product. It too is porous although the equilibrium water uptake appears to be only 32%. Topcoating is required for the same reasons as vermiculite-cements. The source of water is from a solid-state formula that breaks down in a heat reaction to release hydrogen and oxygen which combine to form water vapor. Magnesium oxide, a white chalky material, remains to insulate against the flames. This material is very rarely used now due to the serious corrosion problems that have been associated with it.

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Gypsum, plaster, calcium silicate and other cementitious materials are usually supplied as panels which are fixed to the structure with either steel wire or nailed to a timber cradle. Advantages of this type of system include attractive appearance, ease of installation and no particular surface preparation requirements. However, they are not suitable for exterior use due to poor weathering characteristics and installation can be time consuming. Intumescent materials These products are classified as either intumescent mastic or thin film intumescent coatings. Intumescent m astics are usually based on epoxy, vinyl or other elastomeric resins and contain an agent that intumesces when exposed to heat. Intumescence is a complex process in which, under the heat of the flame, the solid coating is converted into highly viscous liquid. Simultaneously, endothermic reactions are initiated that result in the release of inert gases with low thermal conductivity. These gases are trapped inside the viscous fluid where cross-linking reactions take place between the polymer chains. The result is the expansion or foaming of the coating, sometimes up to 8 times the initial thickness, to form a low density, carbonaceous insulating char. This layer of char absorbs a large part of the heat generated by the fire thus maintaining the protected s tructures temperature within the critical limit established for the specified time. The coating continues to react until all its components are used up and consequently the protection rating is 3 given by the thickness applied. Typically, 8 mm 9 mm ( / 8 inch) provides a 2-hour rating to ASTM E-119. Intumescent mastics are hard and durable and the epoxy resin based products in particular provide exceptional protection from corrosion. This is due to their very high adhesion to the substrate and resistance to impact, abrasion and vibration damage. High tensile and compressive strengths can be obtained and weather resistance is excellent. Reinforcement mesh is normally installed to ensure that the material stays in place during the intumescent reaction and to reduce the possible shear stresses along the coating/substrate interface. Intumescent mastics are costly and skilled operators must carry out application in carefully controlled conditions. Additionally, these coatings have more stringent surface preparation requirements than cementitious materials, and their reactivity makes them unsuitable for certain applications, such as enclosed living areas. Thin film intumescents were introduced as early as the 1930s and are generally solvent or water based single 1 pack coatings, applied by spray or brush-roller at thickness close to 3 mm ( / 8 inch). They are often referred to as fire retardant paints rather than fireproofing materials due to their inferior fire resistance compared to intumescent mastics. Many thin-film intumescent coatings are unsuitable for exterior use and test ratings are limited to cellulosic fires only. Advantages of these products include: they are available in a wide range of colors they are inexpensive they are relatively easy to apply.

Fibrous materials Boards and blankets of mineral wool and ceramic fiber are sometimes used as passive fireproofing systems, especially where thermal insulation is an additional requirement. Inorganic binders that do not burn out during the initial stages of the fire are recommended.

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Mineral wool is rated to 850 C (1560 F) and ceramic fiber to 1150 C (2100 F). As ceramic fiber is more expensive than mineral wool they are often used in combination. Mineral wool fibers can be sprayed with an adhesive to provide protection to structural steelwork. All fibrous materials absorb water easily and are therefore recommended for internal use only except where they can be adequately clad with metal sheeting with all the joints sealed. Composite materials Composite fire protection panels are produced with various types of materials from different (fire resistant) classes. Panels may consist of a metallic cladding, often stainless steel, a cementitious board (typically plaster or gypsum) and mineral or ceramic fibers sandwiched in between. These panels may have A, B or H ratings as required. They are generally fixed to structural members with steel binding wire or bolted to a supporting frame or cradle.

APPLICATION OF SELECTED PASSIVE FIREPROOFING MATERIALS It is well known that most coatings are only as good as their application, and fireproofing materials are no exception. All of those factors that contribute to the success or failure of a protective coating application ambient conditions, operator skill and experience, equipment suitability and efficiency, adequate surface preparation and so on must be considered when passive fireproofing systems are specified. Some considerations include: Scope of work One of the first and most important requisites of a successful application is to thoroughly understand the protection requirements in terms of fire rating, choice of materials, extent of fireproofing, application conditions and so on. Ideally most, if not all, of this information will be made available in a project dedicated fireproofing specification. A good specification will contain details of all of the following: Scope of the specification and project description Detailed drawings showing extent and specific requirements of fireproofing for all types of structure and equipment to be protected Reference documents (other applicable job specifications, standards, codes and regulations) Responsibilities (of owner, material supplier and applicator) Definitions (typically of fire hazardous areas and equipment) Fire protection rating(s) required Specific requirements (for different types of structure and equipment) Material requirements (standards for material components, suitability of different material types etc.) Application requirements (surface preparation standards, ambient conditions, reinforcement system, sloping for water shed and sealing of terminations, topcoat, etc.) Quality Assurance and Quality Control requirements (certification and records required) Guarantee (to be supplied by the applicator alone or jointly with the material supplier) Safety requirements

As in all cases, it is of fundamental importance that the interested parties (owner, supplier and applicator) are sure of exactly what is required. Any doubts should be sufficiently aired and resolved prior to commencement of the works.

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Ambient conditions These are of critical importance for a successful application, especially when intumescent epoxies are used, as they can be sensitive to high humidity. As a general rule, exterior application should be performed in good weather conditions dry, moderate temperatures and low to medium relative humidity. If these conditions do not prevail and the job must be done anyway, then adequate weather protection must be provided. This may require total encapsulation of the structure and installation of specialist dehumidifying and heating equipment. The cost impact of these measures may be considerable (up to 20% of the contract value) and this must be understood and agreed by the owner and applicator prior to start-up. In very hot, dry conditions lightweight cementitious products can suffer from rapid water evaporation, which may result in cracking. This can be avoided by screening the work piece from strong radiant sunlight and drying winds. Another useful measure is to lightly wrap the coated members with either polythene sheet or sack-cloth (gunny sack), which should be wetted periodically. Material control and storage All materials should be supplied in suitable containers (drums or bags) complete with production batch numbers and conformance certificates. These numbers will subsequently be recorded on the quality control forms for each application in order to allow traceability for future reference. A First In - First Out storage system should be operated. Cementitious materials should be stored off the ground, under cover and away from damp surfaces or areas of very high humidity in order to prevent the formation of lumps in the mix. Intumescent mastics should not be subjected to temperature extremes (below 0 C [32 F] or above 35 C [95 F]), which may damage the reactive components. Additionally, the material should be heated to between 27 C [81 F] and 30 C [86 F] for 24 48 hours prior to application to assist spray operations. Masking Masking is of particular importance for intumescent mastics, which are extremely difficult to remove in case of overspray. For the same reason, any masking tape should be carefully removed before the material has hardened. Surface preparation As with all protective coating systems, a correctly prepared surface is the basis and prerequisite of a successful application. Most intumescent mastic systems require that the substrate be blast cleaned to SSPC SP10 (ISO 8501-1, Sa 2 ) and coated with an approved primer to a specific thickness (typically 50 - 75 microns, 2 - 3 mils). Epoxy based primers are preferred as they tend to have higher bond strengths. If inorganic zincs are used, care should be taken to obtain the specified curing conditions and it is good practice to apply a 20 30 micron [1 mil] epoxy tie-coat. The main considerations for primers are that they should be fully cured and applied at the specified dry film thickness. Excessive film thickness increases the risk of disbonding between primer and intumescent mastic. Surface preparation requirements for cementitious products are less severe. However, the importance of an effective anticorrosive treatment should not be underrated. Many owners now specify blast cleaning and priming as above to reduce the possible risks of subsurface corrosion. In addition to the anticorrosive primer, a 60 80

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micron [ 2.5 to 3.2 mils] coat of water based synthetic latex emulsion is applied for use as a sealer over alkali sensitive primers and to provide a good key for the cementitious fireproofing. Sometimes, the fireproofing material is applied in a boxed configuration by spraying it onto a metal lath that is previously fixed to the sides of the steel members. In these cases, as the fireproofing material is not in direct contact with the substrate, the latex emulsion key coat is not required and the control of primer film thickness is less critical.

Mesh reinforcement Both lightweight cementitious and epoxy intumescent mastics require the installation of mesh reinforcement to reduce primer bond line fatigue during the systems service life and ensure retention of the coating in a fire. The correct installation of the reinforcement is therefore of prime importance to ensure the effectiveness of the whole system. In most cases a galvanized or stainless steel welded cloth or chicken wire is installed at a distance equal to middepth of the coating by attachment to steel pins that are stud welded to the structure. An exception is a recently developed knitted fabric mesh composed of treated carbon and glass yarns for use with intumescent mastics. The carbon yarns, which can withstand high fire temperatures, lay in a serpentine pattern parallel to the axis of the structural member. When the coating intumesces, they straighten out and allow the mesh to expand with the coating. The carbon grid is strong enough to hold the insulating char in place for the duration of the protection. These fabric meshes are quicker and easier to install than metal mesh as no pinning is required they are simply laid over the first sprayed coat (with a 50 mm [2 inch] overlap at the edges), so as to be within the middle third of the total thickness, and gently pressed in with a roller to ensure full encapsulation. The main disadvantage is that they cost up to three times more than metal mesh, so careful consideration should be given to surface configuration and the extent of pinning that would be required. When steel pins are used it is advisable to stud weld them prior to blasting and priming. This sequence eliminates the need for subsequent touch-up coating of the pin welds, which can be very time consuming. Pins are normally fixed at 300 mm [12 inch] to 400 mm [16 inch] centers on a diamond or staggered pitch and should be able to withstand being bent once through an angle of 45 and back to their original position. This test should be included in the Quality Control Plan and performed on at least the first 20 pins welded each day. Where pinning is not required, such as on hollow sections, or not permitted, as on LPG storage tanks, the mesh is simply fixed with steel tie wire along staggered joints. The metal mesh should be as tight to the steel as possible when applying low to medium thicknesses of intumescent mastics. This is to avoid having to apply excess material in order to cover protruding mesh. In all cases, the fireproofing suppliers application instructions should include detailed drawings of mesh installation for different structural members.

Fireproofing application Once mesh installation is complete, application of the fireproofing material itself can begin. Both lightweight cementitious and intumescent mastic products are spray applied using specialist equipment. However, small areas, such as tie-ins and repairs, may be hand applied by trowel.

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Some of the factors most likely to contribute to the success of the fireproofing application include: Operator skill and experience: As a minimum requirement, the job supervisor and sprayer should have received documented specialist training by the material supplier. In all cases, workers must be trained and be capable of carrying out the activities required of them. Depending on the type of surface, a typical team will consist of one sprayer, two or three trowellers and/or rollers and one machine operator.

Equipment: Lightweight cementitious materials are sprayed with electric or diesel powered high performance worm pumps with an integrated air compressor, such as the Putzmeister SP 11. These machines can spray up to 50 litres [13 US gallons] a minute. An important accessory is a water meter that allows precise control of the factory mixwater ratio. As epoxy intumescent mastics are very heavy and viscous, they are most efficiently applied with purpose built hot spray plural component pumps. Unmixed components are pumped into separate pressurized heated tanks, equipped with air powered paddle mixers, where they are brought up to temperature, generally between 50 C [120F] and 70 C [160 F]. From here, the two components are drawn into a fixed-ratio displacement pump, which establishes the correct ratio (in volume). The two components, still separate, are then pumped through electric in-line heaters and on through heated hoses to a mixing manifold. At this point the components are mixed in an in-line static mixer and fed through a short whip line to the high-pressure (min. 500 bar, [7,000 psi]) airless spray gun. The required exit temperature for a good spray pattern is close to 60 C [140 F]. The prerequisite for trouble free operation of this type of pump is that the material is maintained at the correct temperature. It is therefore necessary to provide controlled heated storage for the material, and advisable to place the machine in a modified insulated container for work at low air temperatures. The importance of keeping all spray equipment clean and efficient cannot be overstated, as down time is very costly. For this reason a skilled and experienced machine operator is a vital component of the team.

Quality Control: The supervisor should check the following points prior to start-up: Sufficient material is available near the pump to ensure continuity of application (it is important to check that all intumescent mastic to be applied is at the right temperature). The pump is clean and in good working order (safety and operational checks should be carried out before spraying commences). All necessary masking and mesh installation is complete. Surface temperature and ambient conditions. Density and slump tests for lightweight cementitious materials and ratio checks for intumescent mastics. The supervisor, or QC inspector if there is one, should record the results of the above checks and tests on job specific QC forms.

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The adoption of a well thought out Quality Control Plan (QCP) can contribute significantly to the success of an application. The main requirements of a good QCP are that it includes all the checks and tests deemed necessary by the material supplier (ambient conditions, density and ratio checks, thickness checks, full encapsulation of reinforcement mesh etc.), areas to be treated are easily identifiable (preferably with the support of drawings) and the QC forms are user friendly in terms of design and the amount of information to record. It is always a good idea to maintain good communications with the clients representative as work progresses. The preparation of a sample reference area that demonstrates the standard of work to achieve is also recommended. Frequent thickness checks during the application are essential. As the fire rating is determined solely by the thickness of material applied, the applicator must keep this parameter under constant control. Fireproofing materials are expensive, and extra (unnecessary) thickness can be very costly!

Disclaimer The information given in this sheet is not intended to be exhaustive and any person using the product for any purpose other than that specifically recommended in this sheet without first obtaining written confirmation from us as to the suitability of the product for the intended purpose does so at his own risk. Any warranty, if given, or specific Terms & Conditions of Sale are contained in Internationals Terms & Conditions of Sale, a copy of which can be obtained on request. Whilst we endeavor to ensure that all advice we give about the product (whether in this sheet or otherwise) is correct we have no control over either the quality or condition of the substrate or the many factors affecting the use and application of the product. Therefore, unless we specifically agree in writing to do so, we do not accept any liability whatsoever or howsoever arising for the performance of the product or for any loss or damage (other than death or personal injury resulting from our negligence) arising out of the use of the product. The information contained in this sheet is liable to modification from time to time in the light of experience and our policy of continuous product development.

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